SHORTCUTS ended in disaster when two drunken men needed emergency surgery in hospital.

One was impaled on a metal spike after he tried to scale a wall with five foot spikes on top and the other had two fingers ripped off when he became trapped behind a metal fence.

Both accidents happened hours apart and both men needed fire crews to free them.

The first happened in Merton Square, Blyth, Northumberland. A drunken 33-year-old man got caught on a towering metal spike on top of a wall as he tried to leap over it.

The stake went through his right leg near his groin. He was taken to Wansbeck District Hospital with the spike still through his leg after firefighters managed to saw through the spike.

He was found by a patrolling policeman who called for hel and lifted the man’s weight as he lay in agony.

Two hours later a fire crew was called out in Newcastle when another drunken shortcut ended in disaster.

At 3.44am a 26-year-old from Ovingham, jumped across a metal fence at the Central Motorway, near manors Metro Station. He slipped and fell behind it causing his fingers to be ripped from their sockets.

A police spokesman said: “At 1.38am officers on patrol in the Merton Square area of Blyth, discovered a male impaled on a fence. The 33-year-old local male was conscious and was able to tell officers how he had taken a shortcut home when he fell on a metal stake.

“The stake completely went through the right side of his leg near his groin. The fire brigade managed to cut the stake from the wall. He was taken to hospital with the spike still in his leg. He has been assessed and his injuries are not life threatening. It is anticipated he will be operated on later today.

“Then at 3.44am police were called to Manors Metro Station on New Bridge Street, Newcastle, where it was found a man was stuck behind metal fencing close to the Central Motorway. It appears the man had tried to scale a fence while intoxicated and slipped causing two of his fingers to be severed. The 26-year-old, from Ovingham, Northumberland, was taken to Newcastle General Hospital for treatment after being freed.

“People who are intoxicated take unnecessary risks. Although the injuries in these two incidents are bad enough, they could have been worse.”

Tony Jackson, crew manager at Fossway Fire Station, said: “We found the man behind the fence near Manors Metro Station with two fingers severed. We had to cut sections of the fence away so the paramedics could get to him. Then we flood lit the area and used rakes to try and find his fingers so they could be sewn back on. However, we couldn’t find them.”

On the Merton Square incident sub officer Tony Sewell, of Blyth Fire Station, said: “The spike either missed the main artery in his groin or was blocking it, so he was not bleeding heavily. It was more sensible to help the officer to support him until the paramedics got there. Once he had morphine we were able to cut away the fence a piece at a time.

“While we were cutting him down we had to try not to move him. He was screaming in agony.”

Anyone who knows the injured men can call Chronicle news desk on (0191) 2016446.